Softball: Rivalry with Fresno far from cutthroat

There are certain games that everyone on a team circles on the
schedule as a rivalry game as soon as the schedule is released.

Then there’s the UCLA softball team’s game against
Fresno State on Sunday. It could be a rivalry game, depending on
which Bruin you ask.

Coach Sue Enquist, who has tried to build a tradition of playing
against the Bulldogs every year, said this is an important game on
the preseason schedule.

“The energy and excitement of that day is very
postseason-like because Fresno has such huge crowd support,”
Enquist said.

But her players say it is no more important than any of the
other six games that the top-ranked Bruins (21-0) will play in this
weekend’s Clovis Auto Row Classic.

“We both come out playing each other every time knowing
that anybody could win at any given time,” senior Claire Sua
said. “It’s pretty much how we’re playing every
other game, so I don’t know if you could really call it a
rivalry.”

One thing everyone can agree on is that No. 17 Fresno State
(13-5) is the highest-ranked opponent UCLA will face this
weekend.

Enquist said that, like most rivalry games, emotion will be an
important factor, and the Bulldogs will be a threat, even though
they aren’t as highly ranked.

“Their kids always take it to the next level when they
play UCLA,” Enquist said.

But this has been an everyday experience for freshman Kristen
Dedmon, because everyone wants to defeat the reigning College World
Series champions.

“They always come out wanting to beat us, just like every
other team in the country,” Dedmon said.

Both Sua and Dedmon said they need to approach Sunday’s
game like any other, ignoring any mention of a rivalry.

The game against Fresno State is the last of six that UCLA will
play in the tournament.

The Bruins start with a Thursday night game against No. 25 Long
Beach State (17-4) for the third time this season.

UCLA won 5-1 and 4-0 in the first two meetings against the
49ers.

The team will then face North Texas (7-25) on Friday and Utah
(6-11) on Saturday before a rematch with San Diego State
(14-11).

Last weekend, the Aztecs mounted the biggest challenge the
Bruins have faced so far this season, forcing the Bruins to go 10
innings for a 1-0 win.

On Sunday, the Bruins face conference rival No. 18 Oregon State
(19-7) before playing against Fresno State.

It is the only time the Bruins will play six games in one
weekend all season, but Sua and Dedmon said fatigue will not be a
factor.

This weekend will be the Bruins last tournament before Pac-10
play, and Enquist said she wants to use the opportunity to finalize
her lineup.

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